Thursday 25 September 2014 12:57, UK
World No 3 Petra Kvitova eased into the semi-finals of the WTA Wuhan Open on Thursday, racing to a 6-3 6-4 victory over Caroline Garcia.
The French rising star had beaten Venus Williams and World No 6 Agnieszka Radwanska en route to the last eight, but Wimbledon champion Kvitova proved a step too far for the 20-year-old.
Garcia was the first to break in the opening set, but the riposte from Wuhan third seed Kvitova was emphatic as she roared to a 6-3 win.
World No 49 Garcia, who won her only WTA title to date at Bogota in April, matched her Czech counterpart over six games in the second set, but Kvitova broke in the seventh and closed out the set.
"The court feels a little bit faster... and that probably is what suits my game," she said.
"I just feel well here. The people are coming to support us every time, so it's beautiful to see them there. I feel good, and I worked hard before I came here."
Kvitova will now face either Elina Svitolina for a place in the final of the $2.4million event after the Ukrainian upset German seventh seed Angelique Kerber.
Svitolina, the world No 34, secured a 6-4 7-6 (7-3) success in one hour 40 minutes.
In Thursday’s second quarter-final, Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard defeated Alize Cornet 6-3 7-5 to seal her place in the final four.
It proved a fruitless day from French tennis in China as Cornet followed compatriot Garcia in losing the opening set 6-3 before bowing out of the competition.
Bouchard, who knocked Cornet out in the Round of 16 at the All England Club earlier this year, broke made three breaks to clinch the first set.
Frenchwoman Cornet, ranked at world No 21, did manage to break the Bouchard serve twice in the second set, but three breaks from the world No 9 were enough to avoid a tie-break and secure victory.
Bouchard will now face the winner of the clash between eighth seed Caroline Wozniacki and Timea Bacsinszky for a place in Saturday’s final.
